Shem Creek parking garage as polarizing 15 months later

2015-02-09T22:17:56Z2015-02-09T22:22:40Z

(Source: Live 5 News)

MT. PLEASANT, SC (WCSC) -

The Shem Creek parking garage is as polarizing almost 15 months after the resolution was passed.

"I think it has put neighbor against neighbor,” says Mt. Pleasant Mayor Linda Page. “I think some people are for it and some people are against it, and certainly I would like to have a resolution to that."

"The citizens overwhelmingly are against this," says council member Gary Santos.

On Tuesday, Mt. Pleasant Town Council will consider a request by the Shem Creek Development Group to change its parking license agreement. The number of parking spaces originally voted on was 276.

"I have not seen the new number,” explains Page. “I do believe it's less than the original amount, so they're asking for a discussion on amending that agreement."

The four-story office building and parking garage will be built at the corner of Coleman Boulevard and Mill Street with $3 million dollars taxpayer money.

"I think if he can't go along with that original deal that the town made with him, then we should terminate it," says Santos.

"This agreement was to aid this area, all of Coleman Boulevard, with increased parking, so we wanted to make part of it public."

Santos was the only council member to vote against the project in 2013.

"People aren't against a parking garage being down in that vicinity. What they're against is having the parking garage on Shem Creek."

"That's not what this vote is about tomorrow night. We won't be voting to deny the parking garage or approve the parking garage. It's an approved project within the town."